Large Canoes: Perforations and Perf Errors
(The whole issue is sort of a perforation error....)

Perforation is yet another area where the inexperience of W.E. Smith and Co. added to the interest of this issue. The printer used two, separate line perforation machines, both of gauge 11. One made large, clean-cut holes. The other made small, rough holes. These two machines were used in practically every conceivable combination, including mixed, double, and missing entirely.

According to Gisburn, "the practice appears to have been to perforate all but the last line of stamps, either horizontally or vertically, and then turn the sheet round to complete the final row, sometimes by the companion machine." 



 

In this typical case, the sheet was perforated vertically by the large machine, and horizontally by the small machine.

  


 

Sometimes, the last row of a sequence was perforated using a different machine. In this case, the sheet was rotated while on the larger hole machine, either before or after perforating the verticals.

Place mouse on image!

 

The most interesting perforation varieties involve excessive zeal, i.e. double perforation, or simple carelessness, i.e. missing perforations. Of the three examples shown below, two have the double perforations performed by both machines!


Place mouse on image!

 
 

Place mouse on image! (source: 1973 Robson Lowe auction catalogue)


As anyone who has looked at catalog listings for the Solomon Islands knows, the most valuable stamps from the area involve missing perforations. For the Large Canoe issue, these varieties are pairs, imperforate between, as follows: 2d imperforate vertically; 2 1/2d imperforate horizontally and imperforate vertically; and 6d imperforate horizontally. The same basic error occurs for several of the values in marginal copies, but is not valued nearly as highly.



Please place mouse on images to see blow-ups!

from old www.tulagi.com site
 
 

Cavendish Auctions Sept. 2017, est. 1000 BP
 
 

from old www.tulagi.com site
 
 

from old www.tulagi.com site
 
 
 

IMP ½d - 1

½d block of four imperforate at top.

Source: Charlie Miller's old www.tulagi.com site.

IMP ½d - 2

½d margin block of four imperforate at top. Types 3-1.

Source: Cavendish Auctions Sept. 2017 - est. 1000 BP

IMP ½d - 3

½d single stamp imperforate at left.

Source: Charlie Miller's old www.tulagi.com site.

IMP ½d - 4

½d strip of three imperforate at right.

Source: Charlie Miller's old www.tulagi.com site.

Image thanks to Robson Lowe catalogue
18 June 1985

Image thanks to
Sothebys January 2007 auction

Image thanks to
Sothebys January 2007 auction
 

IMP ½d - 5

½d margin block of four imperforate at right. Types 2-3.

Source: Robson Lowe auction catalogue 18 June 1985.

IMP ½d - 6

½d margin block of eight imperforate at right. Types 3-1-2-3.

Source: Sothebys auction January 2007. The item sold for £1380

IMP ½d - 7

½d margin row of four imperforate at right. Types 3-1-2-3.

Source: Sothebys auction January 2007. The item sold for £207

Image thanks to Premier Philately catalogue
4 May 2002

Image thanks to
Premier May 2002 auction (now Prestige)
 

IMP ½d - 8

½d margin block of four imperforate at right. Types 2-3.

Source: Premier Philately May 2002.

IMP ½d - 9

½d vertical left upper corner marginal pair
imperforate at top.

Source: Grosvenor March 2005 auction.


Image thanks to Robson Lowe catalogue
13 February 1973

Image thanks to Prestige Philately Australia
auction catalogue August 2011

Image thanks to Essex Stamp Auctions
auction catalogue June 2018
 

IMP 1d - 1

1d marginal block imperforate at right. Type 6.

Source: Robson Lowe auction catalogue 13 February 1973.
The item sold for £90.

IMP 1d - 1

1d marginal block imperforate at right. Type 6.

Source: Prestige Philately Australia August 2011 auction - offered with estimate of 4000 AUD and realised 5750 AUD.

IMP 1d - 1

1d upper right corner block of two with sheet number imperforate at right & top. Types 5 & 6.

Source: Essex Stamp Auctions June 2018 auction - offered with estimate of £1200.


Image thanks to
Spink London
June 2003 auction

Image thanks to
Spink London
June 2005 auction

Image thanks to
Brandon Stamp Galleries, England
January 2009 offer

IMP 2d - 1

2d horizontal pair imperforate between. Types 3-4.
(ex Ray Baldwin coll. 1972)
"Only five pairs are believed to exist" (Spink)

Source: Spink London June 2003 auction.
The item sold for £7500

IMP 2d - 2

2d horizontal pair imperforate between. Types 3-4.
(ex Mark Strutt coll. 1987)
"Only five of the original ten pairs have been traced." (Spink)

Source: Spink London June 2005 auction.
The item sold for £6500

IMP 2d - 3

2d horizontal margin pair imperforate between. Types 3-4.

Source: At this time (Jan 2009) for sale at Brandon Galleries.
At the 1973 Robson Lowe auction this item sold for £800.

Image thanks to
Harmers of London
1985 auction catalogue

Image thanks to
Harmers of London
1985 auction catalogue

Image thanks to
Christie's Robson Lowe
auction catalogue 19 June 1984

IMP 2d - 4

2d horizontal pair imperforate between. Types 3-4.
(ex F.B.Howard-White coll.)

Source: Harmers of London 1985 auction catalogue

IMP 2d - 5

2d horizontal pair imperforate between. Types 3-4.
(ex F.B.Howard-White coll.)

Source: Harmers of London 1985 auction catalogue

IMP 2d - 6

2d horizontal margin pair imperforate between. Types 3-4.

Source: 19th June 1984 Christie's Robson Lowe auction catalogue.
The item sold for £4104
 

Image thanks to
Victoria Stamp Company
2001 auction catalogue

Image thanks to
Auktionen Gärtner
Germany March 2011

IMP 2d - 7

2d imperf between stamp and margin. Types 3-4.
(ex Stan Jersey coll.)

Source: Victoria Stamp Company 2001 auction catalogue. The item sold for 2000 US$.

IMP 2d - 8

2d imperf between stamp and margin. Types 3-4.

Source: Auktionen Gärtner, Germany March 2011 estimate 5000 Euro


Image thanks to
Spink London
June 2003 auction
 
 

Image thanks to
Prestige Philately, Australia
2002 auction.
 
 

Image thanks to
Spink London
June 2005 auction
 
 

Image thanks to
Harmers of London
1985 auction catalogue
Now: Prestige Philately Australia
August 2011 auction.

Image thanks to
Cavendish
September 2017 auction
 
 

Image thanks to
Robson Lowe
1973 auction catalogue
 
 

IMP 2½d - 1

2½d imperforate between vertical pairs. Types 1-2.

Source: Spink London
June 2003 auction.
The item sold for £8500

IMP 2½d - 2

vertical pair imperforate between. Type 2 supposedly.

Source: Prestige Philately, Australia, 2002 auction.
The item sold for 1800 AU$

IMP 2½d - 3

2½d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 1.

Source: Spink London - June 2005 auction. - The item sold for £1800
At the 1973 Robson Lowe auction it sold for £160.

IMP 2½d - 4

2½d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 2.
(ex F.B.Howard-White coll.)

Source: Harmers of London 1985 auction catalogue.

Offered agin now in 2011 at Prestige Philately Australia
August 2011 auction. with an estimate of 9000 AUD
and realised 10500 AUD.

IMP 2½d - 4

2½d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 3.

Source: Cavendish August 2017 - est. 2500 BP.

IMP 2½d - 17

2½d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 2.

Source: Robson Lowe 1973 auction catalogue.
The item sold there for £350.

 
 

Image thanks to
Brandon Stamp Galleries, England
January 2009 offer

Image thanks to
Prestige Philately, Australia, Sept. 2008 auction.
Sept 2017 Cavendish auction

Image thanks to
Leski Auctions, Australia
December 2005 auction.

IMP 2½d - 5

horizontal margin pair imperforate at right. Types 3-1.

Source: At this time (Jan 2009) for sale at Brandon Galleries

IMP 2½d - 6

2½d marginal single imperforate at top. Type 1.

Source: Prestige Philately, Australia, September 2008 auction.
The item sold for 600 AU$. Cavendish Sept 2017 auction, est. 320 BP

IMP 2½d - 7

horizontal margin pair imperforate at right. Types 2-3.

Source: Leski Auctions, Australia, December 2005 auction.
The item sold for 750 AU$

 
 

Image thanks to
Spink London
June 2005 auction

Image thanks to
Shreves Galleries, USA,
October 2003 auction

Image thanks to
Victoria Stamp Company,USA,
January 2001 auction.

Image thanks to
Prestige Philately Australia
August 2011 auction.

Image thanks to
Stanley Gibbons
March 2017 auction.

IMP 2½d - 8

used 2½d horizontal pair imperforate between. Types 3-1.

Source: Spink London
June 2005 auction.
The item sold for £2400 - It is now (January 2009) for sale at Brandon Galleries

IMP 2½d - 9

used 2½d horizontal pair imperforate between. Types unknown.

Source: Shreves Galleries (now Spink) auction October 2003.
The item sold for 3500 US$

IMP 2½d - 17

used 2½d horizontal pair imperforate between. Types unknown.

Source: Victoria Stamp Company auction January 2001.
The item sold for 4000 US$

IMP 2½d - 20

used 2½d horizontal pair imperforate between. Types 3-1.

Source: Prestige Philately Australia
August 2011 auction.
with an estimate of 9000 AUD
and realised 6750 AUD.

IMP 2½d - 21

used 2½d horizontal pair imperforate between. Types unknown.

Source: Stanley Gibbons
March 2017 auction. with an estimate of £ 4000 - 4400

 
 

Image thanks to
Spink London
June 2003 auction

Image thanks to
Victoria Stamp Company,USA,
January 2001 auction.

Image thanks to
The 20 Oct 1995 Christies auction at Melbourne.
 

IMP 2½d - 10

2½d horizontal marginal pair imperforate between. Types 3-1.

Source: Spink London
June 2003 auction.
The item sold for £2800

IMP 2½d - 18

2½d horizontal pair imperforate between stamp and margin.

Source: Victoria Stamp Company auction January 2001.

IMP 2½d - 19

2½d horizontal pair imperforate between stamp and margin.

Source: Victoria Stamp Company auction January 2001. Sold then for 120 A$

 
 

from old www.tulagi.com site
 
 

Image thanks to
Sothebys
January 2007 auction

Image thanks to
Prestige Philately, Australia
December 2003 auction.
Offered again in June 2018 at Essex Stamp Auction for £1200

IMP 2½d - 11

2½d marginal single imperforate at right. Type 3.

Source: Charlie Miller's old www.tulagi.com site

IMP 2½d - 12

horizontal margin pair imperforate at right and bottom. Types 2-3.

Source: Sothebys auction January 2007.
The item sold for £1495

IMP 2½d - 13

2½d horizontal upper right corner block of 4 imperforate at right. Types 2-3.

Source: Prestige Philately, Australia, December 2003 auction.

 
 

Image thanks to "Aore" collection
 

Image thanks to Robson Lowe catalogue
18 June 1985

Image thanks to Robson Lowe catalogue
18 June 1985

IMP 2½d - 14

2½d horizontal right margin pair imperforate at right. Types 2-3.

Source: "Aore" collection

IMP 2½d - 15

used 2½d vertical right lower corner pair imperforate at right and bottom. Type 3.

Source: Robson Lowe auction catalogue 18 June 1985.

IMP 2½d - 16

2½d marginal corner block (2x3)imperforate at right and bottom. Types 2-3.

Source: Robson Lowe auction catalogue 13 February 1973.
The item sold there for £170.

 
 

Image thanks to Glen Stephens Stamps

IMP 2½d - 14

2½d horizontal right margin pair imperforate at right. Types 2-3.

Source: Glen Stephens Stamps


Image thanks to
Prestige Philately, Australia,
May 2002 auction

Image thanks to
Robson Lowe catalogue
18 June 1985

Image thanks to
Siegel Auction Galleries, New York,
June 1995 auction

Image thanks to
Robson Lowe
February 1973 auction catalogue

Image thanks to
Christies Melbourne
October 1995 auction catalogue

IMP 6d - 3

6d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 5.

Source: Prestige Philately, Australia, May 2002 auction.
The item sold for 6500 AU$

IMP 6d - 1

6d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 3.
it is now for sale at Brandon Galleries.

Source: Robson Lowe catalogue, London, 18 June 1985
The estimate was £1500

IMP 6d - 2

6d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 4.

Source: Siegel Auction Galleries, June 1995 auction.
The item sold for 2800 US$ in 1995, in the Siegel May 1999 auction it sold for 2500 US$. It showed up again in the January 17, 2001 Victoria Stamp Co. auction and sold for 2500 US$.

IMP 6d - 12

6d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 2.

Source: Robson Lowe auction February 1973.
The item sold for £75

In December 2012 this pair showed up again at a Stanley-Gibbons sale offered there for £ 5,500. Plated as Type 2 row 3/4. Color image thankst to Stanley Gibbons.

IMP 6d - 13

6d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 1.

Source: Christies Melbourne auction October 1995.
The item sold for 1400 A$

Image thanks to
Robson Lowe
February 1973 auction catalogue

Image thanks to
Spink London
June 2003 auction

Image thanks to
Sothebys
January 2007 auction

Image thanks to
Robson Lowe
February 1973 auction catalogue

Image thanks to
Spink London
June 2005 auction

IMP 6d - 10

6d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 5.

Source: Robson Lowe auction February 1973.
The item sold for £110

IMP 6d - 5

6d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 3.
(ex Ray Baldwin coll. 1972)

Source: Spink London June 2003 auction.
The item sold for £2600

IMP 6d - 6

6d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 1 supposedly.

Source: Sothebys auction January 2007.
The item sold for £5750

IMP 6d - 11

6d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 3 supposedly.

Source: Robson Lowe auction February 1973.
The item sold for £150

IMP 6d - 7

6d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 5.

Source: Spink London June 2005 auction.
The item sold for £2300

 
 

Image thanks to
Harmers of London
1985 auction catalogue

Image thanks to
Brandon Stamp Galleries, England
January 2009 offer

Image thanks to
Prestige Philately, Australia
2003 auction

  

IMP 6d - 4

2½d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 6.
(ex F.B.Howard-White coll.)

Source: Harmers of London 1985 auction catalogue

IMP 6d - 8

6d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 6.

Source: At this time (Jan 2009) for sale at Brandon Galleries
Price: £5750

IMP 6d - 9

6d vertical pair imperforate between. Type 3.
You should keep an eye on your pet rabbit if you collect espensive stamps!

Source: Offered together with a double perforated single used 6d in a 2003 Prestige auction. Stuck on paper to stop deterioration.

 

Given the fact that I have here four type 3 and 3 type 5 pairs the possible maximal number of these pairs would at least be 24. Here I have 13 - I wonder how many survived.